Two-year-olds Begin ‘Class’ At Highland Elementary
Toddlers in tiny uniforms will deck the halls of Highland Elementary School beginning January 18 when class begins for 2-year-olds. This will mark the first time this age group is served by the School District. This addition is the latest phase in a well laid out plan by the School District and Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County to put community resources in the hands of families, as well as teach their children.
The early childhood program, which already included 3- and 4-year-olds, has been several years in the making. It is based on a national model that uses a community school approach and engages parents in their children’s education and emotional development. Success of this pilot will be measured in the coming years as testing tracks improvements in school readiness and school success.
On Friday, January 14 at 9 a.m., representatives of the School District of Palm Beach County and Children’s Services Council (CSC) along with parents and toddlers will make the move official with a ribbon-cutting and open house at Highland Elementary.
Highland has managed to do what other schools in low-income areas have failed to do – engage families that face a variety of challenges to raising healthy and academically successful children. The success here is largely due to school Principal Brian Killeen and the Bridges site that Children’s Services Council brought to the school.
This is one of several Bridges CSC is opening this year in low-income areas of the county where such issues as poverty, teen pregnancy, delinquency and substance abuse hinder families’ abilities to give their children tools for success. Bridges are neighborhood centers connecting families to community resources. Because of the services, programs and links to resources offered, Highland has become a hub of family activity and parental engagement.
The Bridges at Highland is operated for CSC by Housing Partnership. It provides parenting support, access to medical care for pregnant women and young children, and links to other community programs, not only for families of students there, but for the entire community. The services are the cream of the crop – child care that is part of the quality system that is making inroads in changing school readiness scores; the toddler and preschool programs will use highly regarded dual language teaching methods. Evidence-based parenting programs help parents engage in their children’s learning, first at home and later in the classroom. Student mentoring, nutrition and health services, child safety instruction and more are open to neighborhood families through Bridges.
Highland Elementary is located at 500 Highland Avenue, Lake Worth.
For more information please contact Kathryn Harrison at 561-202-0554 or Highland Elementary Principal Brian Killeen at 561-202-0504.
